In the Footnotes
by 2shy the Shippy
Summary: Sometimes you have to burn things down to have a fresh start. Unexpected consequences form at work and home for Will and Alicia when she decides to leave to start her own firm. Alicia gets to better understand herself, Peter, and their marriage. Will's new determination on work leads to an unexpected second chance at love. A/P, W/O-endgame A/W.
1. Beginnings

Reluctantly, Peter opened his eyes.

He would have to return to Springfield shortly. Although he had been making this trip for months, he still wasn't used to leaving his family for days at a time. Peter wanted his family to live under one roof again, but that wasn't an option anymore. Perhaps had this been years ago and he hadn't been caught with his pants down, things would have been different, but this was the present and he had been caught.

Grace and Zack weren't kids anymore and a move this big would upset them. They had made new attachments after being forced to give up their old lives and comforts. Peter wouldn't put them through that again after the initial turmoil he put them through. He couldn't put them through that again.

Most importantly, Alicia had business ties to Chicago now. She and Cary had opened their own law firm and she was steadily making a name for herself. Practicing law seemed to give a new life to Alicia. Not only did she enjoy being a lawyer and running her own business, but also the law seemed to really stimulate her.

Peter rolled over to face Alicia and saw her side of the bed empty. These days, it didn't surprise him not to see in her bed. Alicia was busier than she had ever been and, between running a business, managing employees, juggling current clients, scouting for new clients, and arguing cases, Alicia had a lot on her plate. It continued to amazed Peter that she still found time to be a wife and mother as well. He wondered if she made time for herself. If Peter was honest with himself, he didn't think Alicia ever thought of herself. She may have had her own business, but what about outside of her work life? Was she happy simply being a wife and mother?

Experience told the governor that his wife's side of the bed was cold. A quick touch of the covers confirmed his suspicion and, after briefly glancing at his watch, Peter went to the bathroom to get ready for the day

"Good morning," Alicia greeted her husband as she perused a case file. Momentarily, she looked up and received a kiss before continuing to read the file in front of her.

Gently, Peter squeezed her shoulder. "Good morning to you, dear." He smiled warmly before sitting down, and then pouring himself a cup of coffee. "When everything settles down, we should do something together as a family…go on a vacation or leave for a weekend. Whatever works best for you."

"Sounds like a good idea," she agreed. Alicia wrote down a few notes before rubbing her forehead. Peter massaged Alicia's shoulders and she groaned appreciatively.

While Alicia continued to write, she placed her other hand on Peter's hand. They may have encountered many hardships in their marriage, but they could overcome it. Despite his past transgressions, her husband was a great man. She would stand by his wide no matter what. She loved Peter and took her vows very seriously. It was hard to say that about most people these nowadays. They would rather leave than stay and work on their marriage. Alicia believed that there wasn't any point in getting married if both spouses weren't fully committed to make their marriage work—through thick and thin.

They would get through this.

They are getting through this.

Peter gently squeezed Alicia's hand, and then placed a kiss on her forehead. He whispered into her hair, "I don't deserve you."

"You're right, you don't," Peter laughed as he wrapped his arms around her. "Peter, you are a good man. You may have made some mistakes, but don't think for a second that you don't deserve me.**I** decide who deserves me and I chose you."

The kids later joined them at the table and the family of four sat and ate breakfast while they chattered animatedly. They reminisced over the past and made plans for the future. Zack stuffed his face with pancakes as he smiled at his dad.

"When will you be back?" Grace's voice was filled with excited as she spoke to her father before sipping her orange juice. Peter had promised that they would go to the Navy Pier together when he came back into town.

Peter broke apart his bacon and took a moment to think about it. "Two…maybe three weeks." He threw the meat into his mouth and smiled at his daughter.

Grace looked upset at the answer.

"Kiddo," her father began. "I'm the governor of Illinois—I have to do my job. But, I promise you that we'll go to the Pier together. The whole family will go."

A black pen scribbled as Cary knocked on Alicia's office door while he let himself in. Alicia doesn't acknowledge his presence as she sifted through the papers on her desk. In a deliberate manner, he seats himself in the chair across from Alicia and his facial expression is a mixture of mischievousness and frustration. For a moment, Cary rested his head in his hands, and then sat up.

As he crossed his legs, he announces, "Beaumont has hired Gardner and Associates as his legal representation."

The black pen ceased to move. Alicia stared at her desk for a few seconds before looking at Cary.

"Gardner and Associates," she repeated.

"Yep," Cary ran a hand through his hair, and then cleared his throat.

"We can beat them, Cary," Alicia declared as she closed her file, and then sat it to the side. "We know how they think, especially Will. This won't be easy, but it isn't unwinnable."

"Yeah, and Will knows how we think as well. He helped hire all of us and conducted performances evaluations that listed our strengths and weaknesses," Cary stated matter of fact. "I'm not afraid of losing, which I know won't happen. I'm afraid of underestimating them thus undermining our case and not getting out client the settlement he deserves." As the younger man spoke, he wore a contemplative visage. "We're going to win, but I just want you to understand how difficult this will be."

Alicia slightly smiled. "Don't you think you are giving Will or even Gardner and Associates too much credit? Their backs are against the wall and they aren't in much of a position to fight," she reasoned. "Despite all of this, I know what you already told me and I don't understand why you are so afraid of our old firm."

In disbelief, Cary stared at her and burrowed his eyebrows.

"Not to be disrespectful, Alicia, but I don't think you do understand," Cary said in a way that sounded as if he was listing points to be made. "Gardner and Associates may not know how to spend their money, but they do know how to win cases, especially when they are on a mission." The male partner got up and straightened his tie before he began to pace. "Let's not forget: Will hates us and he hates to lose—what a lovely combination. Considering that he does not lose all that often, we can't lose focus on the case whether or not we are giving them too much credit."

After Cary left, Alicia groaned in disbelief. The last thing she wanted to do was face Will in court. She was still trying to get the hang of managing a business, employees, clients, and all of that other miscellaneous work that came with her new position. Of course, she knew that she would have to face Will eventually, but she wished that she could have been more prepared professionally and emotionally. The way things ended the last time Alicia saw him was still an en open wound. Alicia tried to actively avoid thinking about it and him. Truth be told, she tried not to think about Will at all, which only worked for the most part. But, overall, Alicia was too busy to think about anything not related to work or home.

One of the best ways to prepare was to anticipate. Alicia knew Will the lawyer—she's worked for him, Will the friend—the man who gave her a chance, Will the lover—gentle and kind, but she was unfamiliar with Will the enemy. Luckily, she knew Will well enough to know how he approached his enemies. The case required a little re-strategizing, but it was theirs to lose.

Regardless of the case, Will had a tried and trusted way of litigating. HE would appear non threatening and to lull the witness (and lawyer) into a false sense of security, ask a series of questions that seemed harmless, and then attack or put the witness' credibility then put into question. It sounded simple enough, but it wasn't. Will had perfected the technique in law school and has only improved it since then. He liked to call it the 'Bait and Switch'.

The kids were staying with Owen for the night and Peter was in Springfield, so Alicia could burn some midnight oil without feeling guilty. Carefully, she mapped out how she would argue the case against Will and the ways in which she would utilize the evidence to prove her case. Cary added some constructive criticism as they decided to be co-chairs on the case. Not only would this case be a statement, it would also garner them some recognition as well.

The two days between finding out that Will had the case and the impending court date had arrived quickly. It was decided that Alicia would be first chair since she had more experience with Will.

In low tones, the lawyers conversed with their client as they explained the strategy.

A pair of heels echoed in the courtroom as Will, Beaumont, and Laura Hellinger strolled down the aisle. Will and Laura exchanged a few words before Will sat on the bench behind the divider and Laura and Beaumont sat at the table.

"What is going on?" Cary whispered to Alicia as he looked over to Will, and then Laura.

"It's a bait and switch," she mumbled. Cary gave Alicia a perplexed look for her to explain. "Will likes to make the opposing client and/or attorney believe one thing and making them go after that in order to trap them before pouncing by using his real strategy."

"I've never seen him do this," Cary said as he opened is suitcase.

"You have," Alicia disagreed. "You've seen variations of this or you didn't know what you were witnessing, but it happened. Will has been doing this for year—it's not obvious that he has been doing it, but he has."

"So…Will knew that we would expect to face him and prepared our case based on that 'bait' and put this other lawyer on the case instead?"

"Yup," Alicia confirmed.

"It's smart." The two said in unison.

"Even though Will's no longer on the case or, never was, we can still argue it." Alicia glanced over to Laura and saw seriousness radiate off of her face as she spoke to her client. "The argument is still sound."

Cary looked a Will again. "Score: 1 for Gardner and Associates. 0 for Florrick, Agos, and Associates." He did a mock salute before turning to Alicia. "What to expect from her? What's her name?"

As Alicia looked at Laura, she gave her answer some thought.

"Her name is Laura Hellinger. She used to work for the military before working at the State's Attorney's office for a brief stint, apparently." Alicia wondered how long Laura had been working for Will. "Not to say that Laura is above it, but she's not one for games or tricks. She's pretty honest and straightforward with her arguments and tactics. Basically, what you see is what you get." Laura turned slightly in her seat and listened to Will as he spoke before laughing at his joke. "Also, she is very observant and will use it to her advantage if need be."

"If that is true, then what is she doing at Gardner and Associates?" Cary speculated.

"Who knows?" Alicia stared at the opposing lawyers again before placing her full focus on the strategy she made with Cary.

The case began in Cary and Alicia's favor, and then Laura gained momentum before being neutralized. Despite Florrick, Agos, and Associates having a stronger argument, the judge, and jury leaning towards their side, Laura looked unfazed and Will was completely indifferent to the proceedings. He seemed to be merely an observer rather than a named partner—someone who was deeply invested in the outcome of this case. Furthermore, Will was the ultimate competitor. He hated losing and cared about winning cases to, what could be at times, and irrational extent. He had to know something that he wasn't volunteering.

After the first day in court, Robyn was assigned to do further digging and find all the information she could no matter how trivial. Two weeks had passed, and Robyn had came up empty handed and had nothing but trivial information to give that they couldn't capitalize on.

"Will is just playing mind games, Alicia, he knew that his behavior would unsettle us," Cary voice during the recess.

"Exactly, Cary. I KNOW Will. It could be a game of him simply getting into our heads or he knows something that we don't." She laughed mirthlessly. "I can't forget how good Will was at mind games—is," she corrected herself.

A few days later, Robyn managed to find some information, but Alicia and Cary doubted that it was worth any value to the case. Still, they kept it in their back pockets and, during their argument, they incorporated the new bit of information, but it didn't elicit any type of reaction from Will or Laura.

Then the day came.

Will got up, tapped the divider between him and Laura and walked away. As Laura stood up, Alicia began to feel a sinking feeling. It was as if she was an enemy being zeroed in upon. Helplessly, Alicia watched as Laura tore their case apart and it was over—there was nothing to be done about it. Kalinda didn't provide any last minute or new information for the case. Gardner and Associates strategy was not to win, but to settle lower than the original asking price. And it was going to happen because of something their firm overlooked in the case—something Will knew that they would overlook. As Will always did, he lulled the opponent into a false sense of security and took control from there.

They settled.

It was less than their client deserved.

"Well, that was a humbling experience," Cary leaned back into the chair and loosened his tie before grabbing his drink. Alicia sat on the corner of his desk beside him. "Will knew we were going to bite the bait and overlook that information in the process. That magnificent bastard." The male partner grinned and shook his head in amazement and disbelief.

"We were arrogant," Alicia, stated the obvious, but the comment was more directed towards herself. "I was arrogant. I thought that…because they were struggling that it meant that they were weak."

Her partner shook his head. "Anyone would have made that mistake—I made that mistake."

"But, you didn't." She took Cary's cup and gulped down that rest. In surprise, Cary stared at the older woman before pouring two cups. "Not really. Laura was assigned to the case because Will knew that she could keep her cool and execute his plan."

A tightlipped smile appeared across Cary's face as he picked up his drink and sipped it before lightly sitting it down.

"Today, after the case, I spoke to a friend of mine. He left Lockhart and Gender shortly after us—before it became Gardner and Associates," he began. Alicia raised an eyebrow in interest. "He said that Will held a meeting and offered anyone an out who wanted to leave. Brent, my friend, also said the they've completely restructured how everything is being ran there."

"You're kidding," Alicia ran a hand through her hand and digested the new information given to her. "Those are some big changes."

"Yeah, they are," Cary, agreed. "But, they aren't Will's only moves. He got rid of a few associates and hired some under the radar lawyers like Trent Bogard, Elias Stevens, Felicia Compton, and Leslie Dennis." An unbelieving express formed on Alicia's face. "I know, right? We already know about Hellinger, but Will also hired Clarke Hayden."

"Clarke Hayden?" Alicia didn't know what to say. "How the hell did Will pull that off?" I thought Hayden couldn't get far enough away from Lockhart and Gardner?"

"He couldn't," Cary supplied. "Until Will gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. I really don't know the specifics," he admitted. "Except being hired as a lawyer for the firm in addition to managing the books and how the money is spent."

"As incredible as that sounds, why do we care so much?" Alicia voiced. "Yes, we got our asses kicked, but we seemed overly concerned about a firm we no longer work for."

A laugh filled the room.

"You don't get it, Alicia, do you?" Cary placed a hand over his mouth, and then slowly shook his head. "You are an incredible lawyer, but you can be very naïve."

"Excuse me?" Alicia took offense.

"Alicia," he began firmly. "I would paint a pretty picture for you, but now is not the time for that. Let's just state facts: Will hired you after a decade of being a housewife. He took a chance on you and put his ass on the line. He then promoted you to partner and asked you if any associates were planning to leave in order to start their own firm. You said no. A few months later, you leave with those associates who 'weren't' planning on starting their own firm. In addition to that, you take their top clients a few months after they just got out of financial hardship. Let's not forget that Diane was leaving as well." The room was silent as Alicia gave serious thought to Cary's words. "Combine that with partially crippling the firm with our perfect timing—Will hates us. Will hates YOU. I don't know about you, but I can firmly recall our last day at Lockhart and Gardner. Rather than recuperating from the massive blows dealt to him by several top lawyers leaving and taking his top clients, he is in a position to be a threat. He's gunning for us, Alicia. Will has nothing to lose and everything to gain."


	2. Hurt that Easy

A/N 1: Gertrude Carter resembles Gillian Anderson 2011-present

MONTHS BEFORE…

Will woke up with a slight smile on his face.

Today was the day.

Today was the day. He would convince Alicia to take a chance on them. He would make her understand that a relationship was worth trying—that they were worth trying. The timing would never be right and he was going to make it right on his own. In his mind, it was going to be right, it had to be. For years, Will carried his torch and respected Alicia's space, but now was time to be assertive. He wasn't going to be disrespectful, but let her know that he was serious about her.

In the past, he would have had reservations about actively pursing Alicia, but it clear that she still had feelings for him as well. As much as she tried to deny and repress her feelings, they were still as clear as day.

Slowly, he rolled out of bed, and then stretched in such a languid fashion that, if cats wore hats, they would tip them in praise.

As Will walked to the bathroom, he shed his clothes before turning on the water. He let the water run for a bit to get hot, and then stepped under the water. The water beat rhythmically against the floor as the steam filled his lungs and the heat penetrated his skin.

It had to be different this time.

After Will got dressed for work, he fixed himself a bowl of cereal and watched cartoon as he ate. It didn't matter how old he got, he would always laugh at the joke and, not just a giggle either. He was laugh out loud with tears streaming down his face. To be honest, he wasn't a kid at heart—just a big kid. But, for Alicia, he could be the man she wanted him to be. He could be the man that she needed him to be.

And, maybe, when they got together his sisters would stop asking who this mysterious woman was. He would no longer deny it and they would be able to just know. They would understand the fuss. They would see why Will was in love and had been in love after all these years.

This time, he wasn't going to leave a message and let Alicia ignore it. This time, it wasn't going to be just 'I love you'. He was going to tell it to her face—that he wanted to be with her and fully invested. Will would never say that Alicia didn't love Peter, but from what it seemed, they were married in name only.

Shortly after entering his office, Will checked his messages on his phone and given to him by his secretary. Out of habit, he separated in order of importance, and then asked his secretary how his day was scheduled. A few business calls were placed and, as he was hanging up from his last call, Alicia knocked on his door. He beamed at her.

"Will, do you have a moment?" His smile faltered when he read Alicia's facial expression.

"Yeah, sure…come in," he got up and gestured to the seat in front of his desk. As he walked around the desk, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Umm, nothing," she weakly reassured. "I have something to tell you and I want you to hear me out without any interruption."

"Sure, Alicia," Will agreed, as he leaned against his desk. "Go ahead."

Silently, Will listened to Alicia as she explained what Cary, the fourth years, and her were doing. She looked remorseful, but determined as she tried to appeal to Will's emotions all while trying to sound rational.

"Will," she began. "Please understand why I had to do this." Alicia kept her composure in check as she handed him her resignation letter. "You have no idea how hard this was for me."

Betrayal flashed in Will's eyes as he pursed his lips and slowly nodded in agreement. His tightly folded his arms over his chest before looking everywhere but Alicia.

"No, I understand," he mumbled, and then stood up straight. As if she wasn't there, he looked beyond her into Diane's office where Cary was sitting.. "I understand perfectly."

"Will, I know that you are angry—"

"Oh no, I'm not angry: I'm fucking infuriated." Vulnerability as well as honesty laced his voice as he speed read her letter, and then angrily crumbled it up before throwing it at the wall. Frantically, he paced back and forth, and then abruptly stopping. He picked up the phone.

"Hello, security," he greeted. "This is Will Gardner of Lockhart and Gardner on the 22nd floor. I need four security guards sent up here as soon as possible. Thank you."

In disbelief, Alicia stared at her friend since college. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was opened partially.

"Did you just call the security on me?" Alicia asked for reassurance.

"Yes," he said without hesitation. Before Alicia could formulate another thought, Will walked past her and out of his office into Diane's and Alicia followed In an impatient manner, he gestured for Cary to follow him. "Sorry to interrupt, Diane, but I'm assuming that you are getting the same talk that I did."

Will gestured for both of the employees to follow him, but neither of them moved. Casually, he checked his wrist for the time. "When security gets here, both of you better be packed in an hour. Whatever you don't pack, will be thrown away."

Simultaneously, Diane and Cary spoke while Alicia stood stupefied.

"Will, what are you doing?"

"You can't do that!"

Daggers were shot at Cary as, Will said, "Watch me." He then looked at Diane. "You and I both know how this goes: they aren't just leaving to start their own firm, they are taking clients with them. It's the smart thing to do. I know sure as hell that I would take clients if I were leaving and, well, Alicia doesn't like to do anything without a plan," eyes filled with condescension stared at her for a moment. "So, should we take a guess as to who is leaving?" As he spoke, he typed on his phone, and then looked at the other lawyers. "Any guesses?"

"Will," Alicia said with a stern voice. "Please, don't."

"Please don't what?" He gave a mirthless laugh. "The chef—" Quickly, he snapped his fingers. "Ah…I can't think of his name. No wonder why he is leaving," he joked. "Well, we have the chef—that one we know about. The Chum Hum account, Colin Sweeny, and Lemont Bishop are all givens." Cary gave a guilty smirk, and then looked at the floor. "The last three are our top three clients, which are now their top three clients. When you leave, who knows where your clients will go."

"Will, we don't know what any of what you are saying is true," Diane weakly argued. She didn't want to believe her owns words. "Yes, they are leaving, but that doesn't mean that they are taking our topic clients."

Will laughed and laughed and laughed. Attorneys who walked by looked at him like he was crazy. Not that Will could blame them. He was acting a bit crazy and began to laugh again. So much so that his stomach hurt and tears ran down his face. Life did have a sense of humor…or was it karma? He didn't know or care.

"Diane, they fucked us," Will said, once he got over his laughing fit. In a thorough manner, he wiped the tears off of his face and composed himself. "They fucked us and I am the lucky one who gets to carry the brunt of the load once the shit hits the fan."

"Will, I didn't do any of this to hurt you," Alicia provided. "That was why I wanted you to hear me out—this isn't personal."

Abruptly, Will turned to face her. "This isn't personal. I don't give a damn what it is. The only things I want to hear from you are your heels clicking as the walk to the elevator indicating that you are leaving." He finished whatever he was typing on his phone and put it away in his pocket.

"No," Alicia said defiantly and stood up tall.

"No, what?" Will looked taken aback for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm not leaving," Alicia clarified. "You can't fire me—I'm a partner."

For a moment, Will looked saddened by her statement, and then shook off the feelings.

"I know," he agreed. "But, I was hoping it wouldn't resort to this. For the record, I didn't fire you—I was arranging for you to be escorted off the premises."

"And you can only escort me off if I am fired or voted out," she said, smugly.

Will took his phone out of his pocket and slightly waved it. "I know. I've been texting partners so we can have an emergency vote, which would take an hour—the amount of time I gave you to pack. About the time you are finishing packing, you will be relived of your position." As if an after thought he said, "You're fired, Cary, and that goes for the associates that are leaving with you…maybe you two should have thought about leaving when you broke the news of forming your own firm rather than the day AFTER you broke the news."

Four security guards approached Will and expectantly waited to hear their instructions.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for showing up so soon," Will clapped his hands together, and then pointed to Alicia and Cary. "I need you all to escort those two former employees to their offices and wait for them to pack, and then escort them to the lobby of the building if it's no issue. As you wait for them, I will procure a list of associates who shall be escorted as well."

"Sure thing, Mr. Gardner," one of the guards replied.

Alicia was about to tell him he didn't know who the associates were, and then realized that she had told him everything.

An hour passed by quickly: Alicia was voted out and she and Cary were out of the building in less time. Will fell into his chair and covered his eyes.

Today was the day.

Today was the day his life went into flames.

He poured himself a glass of bourbon and threw it back before re-filling his cup. In a daze, he stared at the floor trying to sift the truth and bullshit. Fittingly, he found that they were one and the same.

Gently, Diane raised a hand on his. Will jumped.

"I didn't mean to startle you," she softly whispered.

"Well, you did," he grinned. "It's not even 10 o'clock in the morning and the day already started off as shitty. We lost two of our top lawyers and some fourth years, but most importantly, we lost top clients." He sipped his drink. "But, don't worry about me."

"It's hard not to when you have laid it out like that," Diane argued, as she stood up and leaned against the desk. "I don't want to just leave you here alone."

"No, Diane, go become a judge," Will said, tenderly. "You've put up with my bullshit a long time and, as much as you love being a lawyer, I know you'll love this more. I can take care of myself; I always have."

"Will," Diane clasped his hands in hers.

"Diane," Will used their knotted hands to bring her close. "I'm a competitor, I don't lose lying down—hell, and I don't lose. This is just the battle, not the war."

"So, what's your plan?" Diane took Will's cup and began to drink out of it. Will simply pulled out another cup and pour himself another glass or Bourbon, and then re-filled his soon to be former partner's cup.

Warmly, Will smiled at her. Anyone else would assume that Will would be still in panic mode, but Diane knew better. She knew that he built a career off of thinking quick on his feet and formulating ideas and plans in a small amount of time. This is why they were successful as partners, despite having conflicts beliefs about many things. This is how they were able to bounce back in times of crisis. They understood one another.

"Strengthen the foundation, and then build the name by branching out," he offered vaguely. "I'm going to see who wants to be here and who wants to leave. Clearly, some people are unhappy, so I plan to see who that is and giving them a generous out. This doesn't need to be unpleasant like with Alicia and Cary. I'm going on a hiring freeze for first year associations and, instead, I'm going to look for more established, but not very well known lawyers. Though, a first year I am willing to hire is Clarke Hayden."

Diane looked at Will as if he had two heads. "Hayden?" She chuckled and sipped her drink. "Let me guess: to manage the money?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "I don't have you here anymore to look out for me and, well, Hayden doesn't put up with any of my bullshit. He would keep me, thus, the firm honest about our spending habits. In exchange, he would get a firm to practice at and I could mentor him. There's no guarantee that he would want to sign with us—me, but I can at least try, right?"

"Right." They clanked their cups together and spent the rest of their time together in silence.

For the next few days, Will had Kalinda look into a few lawyers for him. Since it wasn't the line of work he usually paid her for, he paid her extra. A week after Alicia and Cary left Will made the offer to those who wanted to leave. After that was settled, he found Clarke Hayden and arranged a meeting with him. Will knew that Hayden had many reservations about the firm and bargained with him until he said yes.

In no time, Kalinda handed him the information concerning the lawyers he was inquiring about. Will separated them into various piles. One pile was for the lawyers he thought he could sway to join the law firm. The second pile was for lawyers he wasn't sure about. The third and last pile was for lawyers who knew he had no chance in hell of signing—whether it be that their loyalties was with the firm were currently employed by or they weren't as compatible as he originally believed.

After talking with the various lawyers, he narrowed his list down and got a few lawyers to leave their current firms and practice with him.

Will walked into a crowded bar and loosened his tie. He navigated through the sea of people as he looked for someone. It didn't take long for him to find his person as he made his way to the bar and sat down.

"I'll have what she's having," he said, as he pulled out his wallet before looking at the woman.

"I'm taking it is not coincidence to we bumped into each other?" The woman smirked as she assessed him.

A telling blush appeared on his face. "What happened to things like, 'Hi, how are you?'"

The woman rolled her eyes, and then said, "Hey, Will, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Laura, how have you been?" Will accepted his drink from the bartender.

"Pretty well, I can't complain," she shrugged before tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "So, what brings you around these parts? I have never seen you in here before."

Will grinned. "Yeah, that's because I've never been in here before. I came in here looking for you."

"Oh, really?" Another sip, and then Hellinger scooted closer. "Why is that?"

For a moment, Will looked at the table, and then at the woman. "A job offer."

There was a noticeable change in Laura's demeanor. "Oh."

"Believe me, Laura, you are the complete package: smart, funny, and a complete knock out. And you are also very great at your job as well, which is why I want to hire you." Will smiled sadly at Laura and took her hand in his. "If you weren't so damn good, I would be asking you a more…personal question."

Laura's free hand rested on Will's knee before sliding up his thigh. She whispered, "And if I say yes, when are you officially hiring me?"

"Whenever you're available; tomorrow if possible," Will said while he watched her hand ease towards the inside of his thigh.

"So, tonight, how about you ask me a personal question?" She leaned forward and placed a kiss a slow, but firm kiss on Will's mouth. Involuntarily, he returned the kiss and pulled her forward.

Breathily, he asked, "Will you come home with me?"

A smile played on her lips, "My place is closer."

Second thoughts began to plague Will's mind, which Laura immediately read.

"I'm an adult, Will; I know how to separate sex and emotions," she whispered in his ear. "If something is bothering me, I know when to voice it. And if that doesn't fix anything, I know when to walk away. You don't have to worry about me. Its just sex."

Later on, as Will thrust into his soon to be employee, he thought, despite being unable to get into a relationship with her, it would never be just sex. Laura was different—not Alicia different, but different nonetheless. She made him forget momentarily and could get him to smile. With the other women, Alicia was always on his mind. But, with Laura, Alicia was only a distant thought and, even times, not there at all. Laura radiated confidence, yet; she could be vulnerable. Eager to please, but didn't try to hard. She could give a joke and take a joke—Laura knew how to laugh at herself.

Will didn't love her, but he knew he could have if things had been different a few months back. It wasn't his place to ask what happened to this other guy, but he wondered what went wrong. Laura was a great catch and he had his head up his ass all because he wanted to chase pavement. Perhaps, if he had focused on her more, this other guy would've had interfered on their opportunity to start something.

Desperate hands slid down Will's sweat slicked arms as Laura bit her lip and moaned in pleasure.

"Will," she faintly cried, and then pulled him close. Her hand slid back up Will's arm before wrapping itself around his neck and leaning forward to kiss him.

Laura could play coy, but she was honest about who she was and how she felt. There weren't any lies about her emotional status. He may have not known her for long, but he knew that.

Suddenly, he flipped them over, and then sat up as gestured for Laura to give him space. He then waved for her to come to him and placed sturdy hands on her hips after she straddled him. Carefully, the woman impaled herself on his cock and Will groaned at the sensation.

He could have loved her.

As of they have done this a million times, the two lawyers fell into rhythm. Fingers gently grasped Will's neck as Laura lost herself in their mutual pleasure.

He could have loved her.

As promised, Laura behaved like an adult. Will would catch himself watching her to make sure that nothing was wrong. Common sense said, he shouldn't have slept with her, but Will found that he didn't regret it. Laura seemed to be unaffected by working with him despite having sex the day before she got hired. As time passed, he stopped worrying about her and turned his full attention to strengthening the firm and gaining power.

Surprisingly, Diane kept her nomination and had been sworn in as a judge. They had lunch once her schedule calmed down. She told him that she missed being a lawyer, but that she knew she would love being a judge. Diane offered advice and critiques as to how Will could become better and Will did the same in return.

"How is strategy going on the Gertrude Carter case," Will asked Hayden as the new attorney perused his files.

"Eye opening," he said distractedly. "It's one thing to read about law strategy and another to implement them."

"I trust that you can handle it," Will provided as he tossed a baseball back and forth in his hands.

"Well, I'm glad to have your trust," he gave Will a genuine smile. "Now, hopefully, I can fulfill my part."

With a nod, Will headed off to his office and prepared himself for a series of meetings that he would have with Diane's former clients. He had worked on an elaborate presentation for each client as to why they should become apart of Gardner and Associates and be his clients. It was a lot of work to do, but at the same time, he was fighting for survival. Besides, Diane's clients were smart: they would know if his PowerPoint slides were generic or specifically tailored for them. Clients who paid top dollar for services expected you to go all out of them. They expected to be treated as individuals. They knew that you were after them and not the other way around.

Although they were Diane's clients, she couldn't force them to sign with Will. All she could do was give a glowing recommendation and let Will do the rest of the work. A good chunk of them seemed interested in what Will had to say, where as others immediately brushed him off as a potential candidate to sign with. Will's philosophy was "you win some, you lose some". The fact that most of Diane's clients entertained staying was more than enough for him. It meant that clients didn't see him as a lost cause—a business that was soon to go out of business.

When the meeting rolled around, they asked him about his suspension, the law firm's on and off money troubles, and the defection of top attorney's.

Rather than jump to the defense, Will took a moment to ponder his answer. Was there even a right answer to this question? He didn't know, but his past and current troubles, so it's not as if he could lie and he wouldn't anyways. It was only right that he be asked about things that could be cause for concern.

"Well, I could say that being suspended taught me a lesson, but it didn't," the potential client wore a shocked face. "I already knew what I did was wrong when I did it and when I tried to correct it over a decade ago. After that, I never attempted it again because it was wrong the first time." Silence enveloped the room before Will turned to look at the Diane's former client. "We all have a problems and issues and we make mistakes and, I suppose—no, I know—that people would consider that more than a mistake, but I ask for my current record after that moment to speak for itself. If my past failing were such a huge issue, it wouldn't have stopped at one time. An investigation into my financials as an attorney proves that. I was suspended based on what happened in Baltimore NOT for anything I did here and that was because I didn't do anything."

The man wore an unreadable expression, but Will didn't let it deter him.

"As far as our former financial woes goes, I hired Clarke Hayden. He was the man who helped get us back on track after we fell into the black," Will explained. "Not only is he very good at his good; he is one of the best, if not the best, when it comes to managing money. And believe me when I say, he has me on a budget."

"And what about the attorney's who left?" The man inquired. "Alicia Florrick—the governor's wife being one of them."

Will laughed. "What about them," he shrugged. "No, I'm joking…as unfortunate as the departure was for those select attorneys, it happens. There are attorneys who would prefer a different management structure or feel that they could do better. They left, there's nothing we can do about that; all we can do forward, which is what I am doing now." Will began to pace back and forth. "To decrease the amount of damage their departure could cause as well as bounce back strong, I shook things up a bit. I let some people leave, dismissed others, froze first year hiring, and looked for lawyers who knows their shit. Lawyers who aren't big names, but have solid track record."

Two clicks echoed throughout the room as Will opened his suitcase and pulled out some files.

"You can look for yourself. And, if you don't believe what you see, do some investigating for yourself." The man skimmed the files as Will spoke, "These are necessarily big or fancy moves, but that is because I'm being smart about how I rebound from not only the attorneys who left, but Diane leaving as well. The lawyers that I have hired are phenomenal lawyers with extreme value and high ceilings."

The man chuckled. "I didn't see why Diane stayed in business with you, but I do now—you're a competitor, a warrior. And, yes, I'm getting my metaphors all mixed up, but you would rather go down with a sinking ship than abandon it. I like that. I like that you own your shit."

"Does that mean you'll sign with me?"

"Yes," he answer and Will gave him some papers to sign. "It's one thing to bullshit your opponents and another to bullshit your clients. If a man is willing bullshit his clients, he doesn't have their best interests at heart. But, if a man simply bullshits the opponent, you know you can count on him."

"And you can, sir, you can." Will and the clients shook hands. "But, I can tell you one thing: Gardner and Associates is not a sinking ship."

"I know: I only bet on winning horses."

"Good to know."

Neither of the men lingered after signing the contract and Will went back to his office to see whatever was on the agenda for the day. What did linger on his mind was the impending case against Florrick, Agos, and Associates. The client they have just picked up was currently in a case against them. As much as Will wanted to take the case, he couldn't. Alicia and Cary would prepare for him and he wasn't ready to take Alicia on. Whenever it came to her, his emotions always clouded his thoughts and he wanted to be smarter about how he ran the firm for now on.

"Miranda," Will said, after he pressed the intercom.

"Yes, Mr. Gardner," the woman answered.

"Can you send Ms. Hellinger in when she is free?" Will leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath.

"Sure thing," she replied. "Do you have anything specific you want me to tell her or just tell her to come see you?"

"Just tell her to come see me."

"Sure thing. Would you like anything else?"

"Another cup of coffee and include one for Laura. That'll be all," he dismissed.

Soon after they spoke, Miranda arrived with his coffee and Laura.

"Thanks," Laura offered to Miranda as she took her cup. Will raised his cup to his secretary and nodded as a way of also saying thanks.

As Miranda was leaving, Will looked for a specific file and pulled it out from under the stack. He handed it to Laura to look at.

"What is this," she inquired as she read the case file.

"You're no longer going to be second chair on the Carter case." Before Laura could say anything, Will held his hand up to prevent her from speaking. "I know I said that I wanted you to guide Clarke, but I need you on this case. I have strategy mapped out and everything, but I can't be first chair."

"Why?" Laura took her eyes off of the file for a moment to glance at him.

"The opposition's attorney's are very familiar with my techniques," he explained.

"And because of Alicia," she remarked daring him to call her a liar.

"And because of Alicia," he repeated. "But, it's really a mixture of both."

Laura smiled and slowly closed the file. "Well, let me see if I can kick Alicia's ass for you."

Will chuckled and shook his head. "This case isn't winnable. The best we can do is lowballing them, which is what we will do. And this isn't a shot at your ability as a lawyer, but there is no way we are going to flat out win this case—that's just being realistic."

"Well, then, I will win the case by lowballing her," Laura grinned. "What about Clarke? Are you going to have him fly solo on the case?"

"No," he answered. "After looking over the case file some more, I decided it was best to reassign him. He has raw talent, but he needs to be eased into the action. I'm going to take first chair on it."

"Sounds good," she agreed.

The case against Florrick, Agos, and Associates went better than expected and Will treated Laura out to dinner. From the moment they saw that Laura was going to be first chair and that Will would just watch, Alicia and Cary were on edge. They had lulled into a false sense of confidence, but Will knew that they would learn to never underestimate him again—whether it was actually dealing with him or his subordinates. It would also keep them on their toes, despite the fact, that he had no active interest in gunning after them. It was a waste of his time and energy.

He took Laura to a nice restaurant, but not too fancy. It was a dinner not a date. He knew she didn't expect anything more, but he had to keep p appearances as well in case someone saw them together.

Laura was a lovely dinner guest. She was an attentive listener, laughed at all the right jokes, and told complimentary anecdotes to match his. Not to sound insulting, because he really meant it as a compliment, but she was so simple. Laura knew her thoughts, her heart, and emotions. Will wouldn't say that everything was straight to the point with her, but she was pretty honest about who she was and how she felt.

If his heart hadn't been so wrapped in Alicia, they could have been something real and concrete. Not just a roll around in the bed for one night. For them, it wasn't that the timing wasn't right; his heart wasn't right and Laura deserved to play better than second fiddle to another woman. Well, that was months ago. Now, their time had simply pass and all Will could do was sit and admire this magnificent woman he let slip through his fingers.

"You never asked me how I knew about Alicia," Laura sipped her champagne as she looked at Will.

The male attorney shrugged, "I figured it must have been obvious, so they how wasn't important."

"Maybe it was…" she speculated. "But, it wasn't for me, well, not at first," Laura clarified. "It was when we were in the police station-you, me, and Alicia. I saw how you two were talking and looking at each other and just knew…. I lied about the guy. I didn't want you asking questions. It was just easier for me to break it off that way and stay out of the thing you two had going on. And I didn't want to get my heart broken."

"Well, damn," Will sighed. "And here I thought I fucked up because I didn't ask you out fast enough."

Laura gave him a sad smile.

"Just for the record: I think that you are an amazing woman and that I was an idiot to lose my chance with you." His companion blushed.

"Will…"

"No, you are," he maintained. "And you deserve to be with a man who isn't hung up on another woman and who can see you value from day one."

"Thank you," she replied. "You are a great guy yourself. Better than many guys I dated."

"Well, you haven't dated me to know the difference," he argued.

Laura shook her head. "I don't have to. Deep down, some women just know what type of guy they are getting and go along for the ride anyways—I was one of those women." She sipped her drink again. "And even if we didn't date, the sex alone is enough to keep a girl coming back."

"You sure as hell fooled me," Will laughed.

"Oh please, I'm barely restraining myself now."

"Good to know."

The Gertrude Carter case wasn't going how he planned, but Will knew he couldn't win them all. It wasn't necessarily that the lawyer was good, but rather, the evidence was phenomenal. It was basically impossible to spin the evidence in his favor or against her. He put up a tough fight, but he knew it was a losing battle. He was glad he took Hayden off of it—this wasn't a case he wanted the new lawyer to get his feet wet with.

Passionately, Will delivered his closing arguments while simultaneously thinking about water, ships, and holes. He was too stubborn to give up hope even if he knew the outcome. The ruling came to no surprise once it was read. Will threw away his loss and moved on from the case.

A few days later, a parcel arrived for him to sign. Will wrote his signature for the deliver woman and took the package.

He smiled widely as he looked at the contents, which caught Laura's eye.

"What's so funny?"

"Gertrude Carter would like to meet with me," he said vaguely.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," he automatically replied. "She told me to clear my plans for lunch and meet her at Wrigley field today." Will held up a ticket to a Cub's game. A loud he read, "Mr. Gardner, I have some business I would like to conduct with you. I know you are a busy man, but clear your schedule and meet me at Wrigley field to discuss a future business endeavor. Don't forget to dress for the occasion."

"Are you going?" Laura crossed her arm as she read the letter for herself.

"It would be crazy for me not to." Will put the ticket in his pocket and took the letter from Laura once she was done. "And she invited me to a Cub's game. I know I can afford the tickets on my own, but I can't turn down a free game."

"So, you're schedule is free?" Laura raised an eyebrow.

"You heard the woman—she wants me to clear my schedule; I can re-arrange some things."

"This is crazy, Will, she sent you the ticket at the last minute; you should make her re-arrange her schedule is she wants to work for her so bad," she reasoned.

For a moment, Will contemplated her words. "This is a big client. These are the type of clients law firm chase after and she was impressed with me, despite losing to her. It's not often that you get an opportunity like this and, when you do, you seize it. It may be a risk, but it's a risk worth taking."

Will looked in the closet in his office and pulled out some dark blue jeans, a cap, a white shirt, and some running shoes. He went to his bathroom to freshen up, and then change. When he looked at the time, he saw that he was running late and that the first inning had started. After he parked the car and went through the check out gate, he to go buy a Cub's jersey, and then headed to the seat on his ticket stub.

"You're late," Gertrude remarked once Will sat down. She didn't take her eyes off of the game.

"I got my tickets late," he responded. "Got here as soon as I could."

The woman cracked a slight smile as she leaned further back into her seat. She wore a Cub's jersey herself in addition to a hat and sunglasses as well. Her jersey was blue rather than white like Will's and she wore white jeans. Her hair was blonde and pulled back into a ponytail.

"So, what business would you like to conduct with me?" Will looked at her before turning to the field.

"Just watch the game; we'll get to the business part later on."

They ordered some beer and hotdogs and sat in silence. Occasionally, they would discuss the game, but not for too long. There were times where Gertrude would stare at Will and when he looked back, she would keep staring before widely smiling, and then returning her attention to the game.

When the seventh ending rolled around, Gertrude finally spoke about the reasons he requested his presence.

"There are three reasons as to why you are here. One: I'm going to sue my ex-partner for cooking the books and stealing money from my business. The representation that I had before, as you saw, was mediocre. It doesn't take much to see that I was impressed by your performance in court."

"I figured as much—there isn't any other reason for you to want to see me," Will said, and then took a gulp of his beer. Gertrude grinned at his remark before continuing.

"Two: My father would like to employ you. He is being employed by a disgruntled former employee and he was impressed by you as well." The blonde took a bite of her hotdog and ordered another one. A small amount of mustard landed on the corner of her mouth and Gertrude wiped it off with her thumb, and then licked the sauce off.

"And what's the third thing?" He turned his body to face Gertrude. "You want to hire me full time, but are pretending that this cases are a trial run to assess my performance."

"No," she said simply. "You aren't being hired full time and these cases aren't trial runs. The third thing is: after you win these cases, I want to take you to dinner."

Finally, she looked at her.

"Let me get this straight: you want to take me out on a date?"

Gertrude scoffed. "A date? I have too much going on to go out on dates. I'm only taking you out to dinner, so you won't feel cheap and used for what comes afterwards."

Without missing a beat, "And who says I will feel cheap and used afterwards. We can skip all of the bullshit if you want."

"We could, but then again, I don't fuck on an empty stomach."

"Oh…I'll be full all right," Will smirked as he turned his attention back to the game.

"So, we have a deal," Gertrude extended her hand indicating that she wanted to shake on it.

Will firmly took her hand and shook it slowly.

"Deal."

TBC:

A/N 2: I originally wrote/outlined the firing scene with Alicia being escorted out (I so called it—lol). I just added the voting out thing since she is a partner.


End file.
